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Create a Course

Create a Blackboard® LTI 1.3 integrated course in Spark.

Before creating a course, review these best practices to ensure the best possible experience.

Best Practices
  • Set the Link to Overall Spark Course to open in a new window.
  • When adding links to your course, add them in separate stages to make organizing the content into folders easier.

    Round 1: add the Link to Overall Spark Course, Classroom Presentation Tool, and Student's eBook.

    Round 2: add any assignments or tests you have created.

    Round 3: add teacher resources. Only select the resources you need for your course.

    Round 4 (Optional, depending on your course settings): add practice activities.

  • Group your links by content type, or by instructor or student.
  • Rename the folders and links for easier identification.
  • Organize the folders and links in an order than makes sense to your students.

Create a Course

  1. Navigate to your Blackboard course.
  2. Add the content app.

    Blackboard Ultra

    1. Click +Add Content.
    2. Select Content Market.

    Blackboard Original

    1. Click Content.
    2. Click Build Content.
  3. Select the National Geographic Learning Spark content app.
  4. Scroll to the Spark program and level you want and click Link to Course.
  5. Click Link to Course.
  6. Complete the required information for your course.
    Course Name
    How the course is listed in Spark.

    Recommended naming format: Semester, Year, Course, Book (Example: Fall 2023 - ESL 030 - Reflect LS 3).

    Start Date
    The first day students can access the course.
    End Date
    The last day students can access the course.
    Show all content or assigned content only?
    Select whether students can see all course content or only the content you have assigned.

    For the best Spark experience, select Only show assigned content.

    Additional Info
    Optional: Description or notes.

    This might include the course section or term.

  7. Click Create.
  8. Click Link.
    By default, Link to overall Spark course is preselected. This link is required for you and the students to access the course in Spark.
  9. Optional: Click Preview next to any content to view it before adding the link to the LMS.
  10. Select the checkbox next to the content you want.
    For content with multiple links, click dropdown arrow to display all the items, including assignments, tests, unassigned practice activities, and teacher resources.
  11. Click Link to LMS.